Everything Changes
by Laurenke1
Summary: Harry Potter was correct in his assumptions that everything would change when Voldemort returned but for one blissful evening he can confide in somebody who understands his fears and levels things out for him. Au warning, slash warning. SSHP


**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter. **

**Note: You know how I always get inspired from Harry Potter books or movies and while I am complaining about a lack of time to update I did want to do this one shot when I was watching the fourth movie. It takes place right after Moody takes Harry and Dumbledore and Snape enter. What is Dumbledore asked Snape to take care of Harry? What would happen? Sort of missing scene I guess. You know that I never write movie wise but I couldn't help myself this time. So cheerfully ignores the books of course. Dumbledore is a bit mean and set in his ways and we seem him more as a tough leader then really the soft of grandfather we normally see. **

**I kind of took Snape's comments about his change of heart, especially after the kiss, after Lily's death in Deadly Hallows in which Snape is in a similar kind of terrible pain. I hope it makes sense. **

**Summary: Harry Potter was correct in his assumptions that everything would change when Voldemort returned but for one blissful evening he can confide in somebody who understands his fears and levels things out for him. **

**Title: Everything changes. **

**Author: Laurenke1**

**Warnings: slash (pg 13 or 14 in this case) and AU and drama warning. Spoilers for the fourth movie and for Deadly Hallows the book. **

**Let's begin. **

Harry Potter was shaking as he stared at the brown haired male lying in a stupor slumbered against the wall with a frightening mad grin on his face. Bartemis Crouch Jr. lay in a heap on the dirty floor in the office of Alastor 'Mad-eye' Moody while the real Moody was in his trunk, drugged and obviously unwell in a prison he had been for months.

The still shaking young man shook his messy head, his glasses dirty and his arm throbbing with the wound that had been inflicted upon it to take his blood to bring the Dark Lord Voldemort back. Harry closed his eyes tightly but he snapped them open when Cedric Diggory's body flashing in front of his mind eye.

He choked back a sob, staring intently in front of him as he listened to Professor Albus Dumbledore's soft voice in the room as he harshly questioned the drugged dark wizard lying on the floor.

"Albus, Harry needs…" Harry was unaware of Professor Minerva McGonagall's eyes upon him.

"He needs to understand why somebody did this to him, Minerva!"The Headmaster's voice was soft as the furious blue eyes shot into Harry's direction before returning to trunk that stood in the room as Professor Dumbledore peered inside at his old friend.

Harry wrapped his arms around himself, shaking his head as he fought the urge to close his burning eyes but he knew that the scenes from the past hours would flash through his mind and he wasn't sure if he could keep his tears away. Why was it so silent, couldn't there be anybody else to listen to these things?

He shivered, teeth clattering and he was unaware of the grey eyes and the dark eyes on him, one tainted with concern and the other one impassive to read as they both regarded the wounded student.

"Albus, he isn't fit to answer any questions! He is in shock, for Merlin's sake! He needs to go to the Hospital Wing, what he has been through has been terrible and he is in need of safety and rest…."

"Minerva, I will need Harry to tell me what he has seen in a moment as soon as I…." Dumbledore sounded a bit annoyed as the old wizard focused for a moment on the noise and commotion that came from outside.

"I agree with Minerva, Headmaster. Potter is in need of medical assistance…" The soft velvet voice of Professor Snape filled the room but Harry was hardly roused.

"Diggory's body was brought to the Hospital Wing. It is most likely filled with mourners, it would be most unwise to bring Harry there…."

"Then anywhere else will be fine as well, Albus, just as long as it isn't here!" Professor McGonagall's voice rose in expiration for the safety and welfare of her student even when the Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry refused to see or acknowledge it.

The three Professors' glanced in the direction of the still shaking student. Harry continued to stare ahead, memories rising in his head of a hairless, reptile of a man rising from a large cauldron. He flinched, trying to pull himself away from those memories as he bit his lip to prevent the cry that would surely fall from his lips.

Snape's eyes narrowed when he saw the dull green eyes close before snapping open again. Dumbledore frowned at Harry before he pointed his wand at Crouch's body and ropes bound the still madly grinning wizard tightly.

"If Cornelius will soon come up, he can hear Harry's testimony as well and then we can…"

"You want to wait for Fudge? Have you finally lost your marbles, Albus?! It can take hours before that man is here, do you intend to keep Harry here, in this state and wait until the Minister for Magic graces us with his presence?" Professor McGonagall's voice was dropping lower.

"I once more have to agree with Minerva, Headmaster. Potter is not fit to do anything more than moan at the wall…I loath to admit it, but the boy obvious needs some assistance unless you count on presenting Fudge with a nervous wreck and a good case to lock all three of us up for neglecting a student's need, especially in light of recent events, if they are true…"

"How can you doubt Potter's words in this case, Severus? I think the fact that Diggory's…and the recent events…." Professor McGonagall rounded on Professor Snape and the younger wizard held up his hands, his left arm twitching as he softly said, dark eyes searching the room.

"Do not be foolish, Minerva. _I _have no reason to doubt Potter's words. I might as well have been there for I can sympathize with Potter…"

The rest of the sentence was lost on Harry as he closed his eyes tightly, another shudder wrecking his frame. He wrapped his arms tightly around himself to try and protect himself against the memories that threatened to surface. He suppressed a moan, but just barely as he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

Voices once more cut through the haze he had surrounded himself with to try and protect himself.

"Albus, are you bloody daft?!" His Head of House's voice sounded high and shrilly, like she couldn't believe whatever Professor Dumbledore had suggested.

"Headmaster, I once more must concur. I meant no disrespect, _sir, _but have you taken leave of your senses? You would let _me _take care of the boy? After all he has seen tonight?" Snape's voice was dripping with venom and Harry wondered what this was about. He glanced up at the tense form of the Potions Master as the dark eyes met his own while Professor McGonagall looked ready to hex the Headmaster who was still staring into the trunk before he said in his slow deep voice.

"I think that you are best suited for this situation, Severus. You can sympathize most with Harry. He doesn't need somebody who will mollycoddle him now but to somebody who can determine if he is telling the truth and can record it when he does share his horrid tale."

Snape seemed to swell with anger and he cast another look at Harry before he stepped closer and his long and slender fingers curled themselves roughly around the older wizard's arms to force Dumbledore to look at him and then to Harry as he hissed in a cold and silky voice.

"Damn it, Albus, look at him! He is a mess! I may not always have Potter's best interests at heart but he needs somebody, anybody, people like Molly Weasley to tell him everything will be alright! For everything Potter has done since he came to this school, breaking rules, stepping out of line and giving everybody who every was face to face with the boy a big headache, he is a child! For everything he has seen and done, he needs somebody…."

"Who can understand his suffering and who will put it into perspective? He needs to be strong because there will be more difficult moments like this because of Voldemort's return and you know this, Severus!" Dumbledore's voice was soft but the blue eyes passed over Harry and they softened.

"If you mean that simply because the Dark Lord has returned, Potter should just suck it up you are…."

"Severus Snape! You will take Harry with you and stay with him. I don't care how you do it but make sure that nobody can get access to him. I need to get to the bottom of this…" Dumbledore's voice brooked no argument and Harry refocused his eyes upon the floor.

He longed for nothing more than to feel Sirius beside him, telling him everything would be alright and not to think or to feel…to erase the memory of this whole night…or this dreadful evening….of Cedric's open and glassy eyes, the flare of green, Voldemort rising from his cauldron and….

His parents….

Was that the reason he was so shaken up or had it been Cedric's death? It had been his fault, of course it had been. If Voldemort hadn't wanted him then Cedric would still be alive and if he had simply run ahead to the Triwizard Trophy then Cedric wouldn't be dead and….

"Potter?" The soft voice of the Potions Master in front of him and Harry's eyes rose. Snape was standing in front of him, bending over so the sallow skinned, hooked nose teacher could look him in the eye.

"Albus, you are the most…."

"I can't do this, Minerva. Harry needs to understand what happened to him and why….I cannot afford to be the one to…"

"And so you send Severus? He loathes the boy….."

"I trust in him to put his old grudges aside to aid a student."

Harry's eyes flashed up to Snape's pale face and he saw the harsh lines tightened for a moment in rage before the dark eyes flickered back to Harry's and Snape said. "Come!"

Mutely Harry got to his feet, his legs trembling. He didn't want to face the other students, didn't want to meet anybody in the hallway. He didn't want to see the grief that was wrecking the students apart when there was nobody to take care of him or to…

A large hand settled on his shoulder and as the warmth seeped into his torn robes, Harry found himself relaxing, the trembling easing as he was gently pushed from the room. Instead of taking a right to go to the Hospital Wing, Snape applied pressure on his shoulder and steered Harry to the left.

Harry closed his eyes when he heard the sounds that came from a window that overlooked the maze in the distance. "Potter, focus!" Snape's voice was still soft but Harry opened his eyes obediently when they paused for a door.

The staffroom door made Harry pause and then Snape pushed it open, holding it open for Harry as the younger wizard stepped through it, his arms still wrapped tightly around himself as he tried to run some warmth back into his body.

He startled when Snape closed the door and he suddenly spun around, his wand in hand to meet the raised eyebrow of his teacher. He backed away from Snape, his mind recognizing an hour ago when the same thing had happened with somebody he trusted. Who would say that Snape wasn't going to do the same thing?

"Don't come closer." He choked out, his voice raspy as he backed away, nearly stumbling over a mismatched chair without losing Snape out of his eye. The older wizard raised his wand and a curse was on Harry's lips before Snape pointed it at the fireplace and a fire started.

"Potter, I mean no harm." Snape pocketed his wand and then held up his empty hands, showing them to Harry. The rest of the evening caught up with him and Harry felt his knees buckle as he collapsed in a chair.

Harry gave a snort as he said. "Yeah, that was what Moody said….right before he…."

"That wasn't Alastor Moody, Potter. That was a deceiver and somebody who wanted you for their own needs…

"And he succeeded." Harry shivered and pulling his knees up in the chair as he wrapped his arms around them, trying to stay still. Snape's dark eyes regarded him for a moment and then the teacher sank down in a chair opposed Harry.

That Moody, a professor he had trusted had used Harry simply to get him to Voldemort, to witness Voldemort's resurrection; he couldn't wrap his mind around it. Why would Voldemort go to such lengths unless it had been planned before?

Harry closed his eyes. It had been his fault. If he had allowed Remus Lupin and Sirius Black to kill Wormtail last year like they had wanted to, none of this would have happened…Voldemort wouldn't have returned and Cedric wouldn't have been killed and…and…and….

A cool glass was pressed into his hand and Harry's eyes opened. A vial with a red liquid had been pressed into his hand and he glanced up at his teacher.

"A Calming Draught." Snape explained, leaning back in his seat. Harry's mind immediately went over the other time this year when he had seen a similar vial. It had contained truth serum. He resisted the urge to throw it back at Snape but then his teacher leaned forward and said, his dark eyes glittering.

"I need no truth serum to verify your story and the Headmaster knows this."

Harry swallowed thickly as he watched Snape settle back in chair and for a moment the dark eyes seemed far away as they stared into the fire as Snape's right hand came to rest upon his left arm, kneading the flesh before he gripped it tightly, and his expression changing ever so faintly.

Harry looked back at the vial. Would it be so bad if it was Veritaserum? Probably not. He uncorked the vial with a trembling hand and raised it to his lips. He drowned it in one go. The pleasant aftertaste reminded him when he had to sample his own Calming Draught in Potions.

He settled back in the chair, allowing the potion's effects to wash over him. His heart was calming and the shaking feeling of not believing what he was seeing disappeared a little. He tore his mind away the memories that were etching around his mind like vultures watching a prey, waiting for it to die.

He turned his eyes towards the fire and blinked sleepily. He slowly breathed out and then allowed his eyes to drift shut. He must have drifted off because suddenly….

_Curses shot past him as he raced towards the cup and Cedric's body. The older male's voice was still echoing in his mind. _"Take my body back to my father."

_Harry dodged behind the large angel, one way or another he had to reach Cedric and the cup if he wanted to make it out of here alive. There was a time to think later. __He took a deep breath and then darted forward, hearing the inhuman voice shouting. "Stop him!"_

_His hand gripped Cedric's cold and stiff arm as he raised his wand and cried out, _"Accio cup!" _The moment his hand touched it, he felt the already familiar pull behind his naval and heard the cry of rage of Lord Voldemort as they spun away in a rapid whirlwind of colors. _

Harry shot awake, his heart thundering and his breathing rapidly. He blinked around the room as the familiar warmth of the staff room and the safety of Hogwarts…_No Hogwarts had been infiltrated by the Dark Forces…_

He rubbed his hand, remembering the cold of Cedric's arm in his hand, teeth chattering as he fell back in his chair to try and control the shaking of his limbs as he blinked his eyes, trying to forget about the red eyes of Voldemort and…

"Potter?" Snape's voice was a whisper in the dark of the room as Harry immediately choked out.

"He asked me to take his body back….Cedric asked me when he appeared when my wand connected to Voldemort's….I…." Harry choked upon a sob. The nights events were catching up with him and he shook his head, placing his hand against his forehead, he wanted to forget, not remember…not to dream about it.

The bundle that hit his chest made him glance down. A dark cloak, dark like midnight lay balled up in his lap. He glanced up to meet Snape's dark eyes. They were unreadable but Harry immediately unrolled the cloak, pulling it around his body as he huddle in it in search for warmth or safety.

"Did Dumbledore know that I had disappeared?" He asked, shivering.

Snape glanced at him and then said. "We knew something had happened but not what. We could not enter the maze, only to recognize the students that were wounded. We found Mrs. Dalaceur and Mr. Krum when the sparks shot up but neither you nor Diggory were found."

"But why didn't Dumbledore react sooner if I had been portkeyed away if the wards had been triggered? As Headmaster he must have felt them shift."

"A portkey cannot be traced except by somebody who made them. Tonight there were around 300 students in the ground and with 20 teachers. We didn't know what was happening except that two students had disappeared. Somebody had tricked Albus Dumbledore in his own school and regardless of how he felt about you; he couldn't have gone after you…"

"But Cedric might not have been killed or Voldemort might not have returned…"

Harry saw the thin mouth thin even more and then Snape said in a curt voice. "Kindly refer from saying his name in front of me, Potter!"

"But why…."

"Potter, for once do as you are told!" The teacher snapped and Harry ducked his head. "The headmaster couldn't even begin to fathom what was happening and before I even realized…you had returned with Diggory's body."

Harry fell silent. Snape obviously didn't want to talk about it. He curled up further in Snape's cloak, teeth chattering again.

"Potter, don't tell me that for once you obey a request for silence?" Snape softly said and Harry's head snapped up to meet the teacher's dark gaze. Snape stared back. Harry saw the slender hand once more cover the left forearm and then it suddenly hit him.

The dark mark.

His mind instantly flew over the trial he had seen in the pensive when he had gone up to Professor Dumbledore's office. The way Barty Crouch, the same man lying in the room a few paces to the left had been laying when he had been announced a death eater. He had mentioned Snape as well.

He rose, wand held out in front of him as he shuddered off the cloak. Snape's eyes widen but the Potions Master never made another movement as Harry stammered out. "Why aren't you at his side? Why are you here? To finish what he has started…."

"Potter, if I had meant to kill you I will have done so already. It is quite easy to kill you in this state."

"I can duel you…." Harry forced past his trembling lips.

"You are in no state fit to duel, regardless of what the Headmaster may think. You are not in a state to do anything else but to sit there shaking." Snape sneered, shaking his head.

"I can….."

"You can do what, boy? Stammer at me? Try to use an Unforgivable? You don't have the nerve." Snape rose, towering over Harry.

"Don't come closer!" Harry snapped, backing away again as he raised his wand. Snape sneered at him and then hissed.

"Lower the wand, fool! I am merely going to collect my cloak if you insist on treating it like dirt. If you had paid any attention, which I know if a lot to ask for, especially from you, you would also have learned that I was a spy for the light side even before the Dark Lord fell. Too bad the mark was not deactivated when I did so, so it burned quite painfully tonight; through not as painful as the hour you spent in his company…." Snape sat back down, eyes fixed upon Harry who had been startled into lowering his wand.

"How did you know?"

Snape smirked and shuddered his shoulders, his hand clenching in the fabric lying in his lap as he said, his voice silky and smooth. "Because the moment my mark began to burn was the moment those that patrolled the maze told us that two students were missing. It wasn't all that terribly hard, no matter how it may seem to you, to put two and two together."

"Did you warn Professor Dumbledore?" Harry sat back down, a little further from Snape and thus the fire.

He remembered the long hour, if it had only been an hour that he had been at Voldemort's side. It seemed so much longer. It seemed like a lifetime or an extremely long night. Like an age had passed since he had started the maze earlier this evening, when Cedric had been alive and he hadn't know anything about that Voldemort had returned…

"I could hardly go shout out my alarm in the middle of the cheering, Potter." Snape's voice was amused but bitter as the teacher continued. "When you returned, only the Headmaster and I noticed that something was wrong, that Diggory was lying too still to be stunned or hexed. When you collapsed it made so much sense suddenly that there was no other way then that the Dark Lord had finally returned…." Snape fell silent and Harry pushed his hands against his eyes.

He didn't want to think about this. The future was suddenly a lot darker and everything would change. Gone would be the relatively care free of his childhood, he had been marked by Voldemort himself when the deadly dark wizard could have any wizard in the world to take blood from and he had taken Harry, singled him out, he would never be able to forget…

He moaned his breathing choking. He was a marked man, in more ways than one. He had been marked by death; he had been gully in killing a school mate…

A hand touched his shoulder, shaking him and Harry opened his eyes as they focused upon Snape's dark ones, so close to his face. "I don't want to remember…." He said.

"What do you want to forget, Potter?"

"This whole night…the resurrection…the dead of Cedric…the fight…the laughter…." _The pain_ went unspoken but Harry glanced up into the dark eyes, begging Snape to release him from it.

The strong but firm hand pulled him towards the fire and Snape said his voice soft. "Not all memories or pain can be forgotten, Potter, it can shape your personality or your conviction, especially in the upcoming time."

"But I don't…"

"Silence! Time will lessen even the worst kind of grief!" There was something hard in Snape's voice and eyes as the older wizard added. "Even when you think that it will never fade it will. You think that nothing will ever make the memories or the pain go away, when you look upon things that remind you of the pain…but to forget the pain, no never, it fades after a while, even when it hurts to draw a breath so intense is the pain and it haunts your waking dreams and every thought hurt until you only know that you are surviving, and then at one point you realize that the pain has faded…"

"Is there no way to forget?" Harry realized he was pleading and his teeth were chattering and Snape looked him over, his eyes too dark and then he sighed and said.

"There are ways to forget but you will have to live with yourself, Potter. There will be a time when you think back on this time, unable to remember what has caused you to take certain decisions…"

"Such as?" Harry shivered and Snape pulled the cloak away from himself.

"Such as the decision to fight and to wonder why you have been singled out. Before all of this happened, you were the one who had made the Dark Lord disappeared and now you are the one who watched him return, singled out by him to watch an event that is nearly sacred to him. He intended to kill you and nobody would be the wiser that he had returned and the population assumed you had died in an unfortunate accident but you escaped and made it known. Regardless of whatever decision Fudge will make, he will know that the Dark Lord has returned."

"But it won't matter…it won't make the pain disappear…. It won't make the memories go away. There are ways to forget it…I know it is….I just…." Harry was choking, Cedric's lifeless eyes flashing in front of him.

"Memory spells won't work, Potter. They can be broken and we need you to be able to remember that the Dark Lord has returned when you go about doing something foolish again…." Snape pulled the cloak around Harry's shoulders.

The warmth from Snape's hands was strangely comforting as Harry asked, realizing he was begging. "Please make me forget."

"I am not going to _Obliviate _you, Potter." Snape said, pulling Harry even closer. Harry's heart chose that moment to shatter painfully. It had all been too much. Everything he had seen tonight, the feelings that he had felt in different strength and not knowing what might lay ahead, it was simply too much.

He had hoped that Snape would erase his memory of everything that had happened but he knew it had only been in Snape's mind to break him and the older wizard had finally succeeded. He could no longer contain the tears as they ran from his eyes, over his cheeks as he stared up at the older wizard.

He chocked upon his sobs, shaking his head, weakly struggling against Snape as the older wizard suddenly pulled him closer and onto his lap, Harry being startled as he welcomed the darkness and musky scent that came from Snape's robes.

He felt an arm surround him, another one under his knees as he was pulled further onto Snape's lap, one arm wrapped around the Potions Master's neck as he sobbed deeply, unable to stop. He could feel the other wizard shift, one hand coming to rest upon his thigh and the other around his shoulder, pressing him against the firm body as the warmth soaked into him.

Harry cried for the pain that had been brought to him by seeing somebody he had known being killed in front of his eyes, of the shock of seeing his enemy rise in front of his eyes, knowing he was going to die the moment he stepped away from his hiding place, seeing his parents return and knowing that they would only leave him again. The commotion as he returned of trying to make people understand and then somebody trying to kill him, somebody he thought he could trust…Harry cried it all out.

He wanted to forget, wanting happy memories for once, not be marked again by some madman. Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't it be anybody else?

The pressure on the top of his unruly head and Harry realized that Snape was resting his head there. The hand that had rested on his thigh moved and Snape pushed Harry's face away, Harry struggling as he weakly cried out. "No, please…"

He couldn't even put into words just how much he needed this, this comfort. The comfort he had never known before even if it was just for one night. He just needed the memory of it to draw strength from so he could go on when the night seemed to dark for even him to see…

Snape's hand came to rest upon Harry's damp cheek and the Potions Master softly asked, his voice soft and eyes warm as Harry sniffled. "Do you understand now, Harry?"

Harry raised his eyebrows, through he was beginning to suspect what Snape was referring too.

"There are other ways to find a way to go on. To forget is often not the best way but to find something to go on, even if it only lasts an hour can be equally if not more empowering. A memory can be strong, stronger then fear or anger and hatred. A memory of comfort shared between kindred souls. You are not alone and I will do everything in my power to make sure you are never alone."

Harry cocked his head, his green eyes shiny as they glanced down to the dark robes. The equally dark eyes held a promise. A promise of comfort that could be more than a memory, if only Harry wanted it. A comfort shared, like Snape had said, between kindred souls because Snape understood the pain Harry was going through, Harry knew the moment Snape had described it, Snape had felt the same pain.

A hand stroked his hair and Harry glanced up, shy suddenly. For a brief moment he wondered if Snape would allow Harry to hold on until he had the strength to pull away even when he was unsure if he would ever have that strength.

Hesitant lips ghosted over his own, firm but not applying pressure in just a light gesture. Even before Harry had registered what it had been or could mean, they were gone and Harry glanced up. Snape was looking down upon him, his thin lips parted but his gaze intense.

There was that promise in his eyes again and Harry licked his lips, breathlessly as Snape suddenly smiled, his thin lips just curling upwards before he closed the distance, slowly, allowing Harry to pull away without being offended.

Harry moved forward to meet the lips of his companion without any conscious thought and the moment they closed over his own, he closed his eyes. No imagine of Voldemort or Cedric flashed before his eyes but black, warm eyes, slender hands holding him in the dark house after the Dark Lord's resurrection.

The lips moved with a slowness Harry would have found maddening any other time but he enjoyed now, moaning ever so faintly. A warm wet tongue swept over his lips and Harry opened his mouth, slowly allowing Snape to deepen the kiss.

His hands, which had been resting on broad shoulders, were threading themselves in soft black hair, running it through like silk passed through fingers and Harry could think of no better comfort then what he found in those precious memories.

So when Snape finally broke the kiss to stare into his eyes, Harry found the strength to smile and nod, even as tears still shone in his eyes, no longer falling. Snape gave a nod and his hand gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze, saying. "You have the strength necessary to do this, Harry, to face this to the very end, you must for people like us, people who are dragged into a reality we never wanted or envisioned do not have the luxury to turn back, only to continue forward and to try and find whatever comfort we can."

"Then a little more then, so that I can indeed see it through to the very end…" Harry whispered and accompanied with Snape's smile, he knew that whatever strength had been offered him today would indeed have to carry him through while everything around him changed.

Hp

"Your comfort was enough in the end to do what I had to do but nothing could prepare me for the day I would have to make due on the memories alone." Harry Potter stood at the edge of the graveside that overlooked the battle side for the Final Battle where he had defeated Voldemort three months ago.

In the distance the damaged castle could be seen and the Shrieking Shack, the place where Snape had fallen. He looked at the unmarked grave, eyes watering.

"The memories aren't enough, Severus. The time that they would be a comfort to me has long passed; too much has happened that mere kisses could give me strength. I have lost you, how could I go on with that?" He was aware that Snape would be rolling in his grave but his vision was blurred because of the tears that threatened to spill.

Too many people had died in the final stance when he had finally defeated Voldemort, losing his beloved Snape to Voldemort and all for a foolish wand which had never worked for Snape anyway because the older wizard had never owned it. Draco Malfoy had and then Harry Potter.

For a moment he wished it was Malfoy lying here, in this grave made for the benefit of visitors because no body had been found. But Harry sobered, Snape would never have wanted Harry to think such things, the older wizard was finally free and while it may be years for Harry to enjoy the same freedom, he would simply have to male due on memories alone.

"In the same manner you always do, blundering about without thinking."

The curt voice behind him, the voice that had been his strength for so many years made Harry spin around so fast that he lost his balance. Slender hands steadied him and thin lips curled into a smirk.

"You…you…." Harry stammered….

"Yes, I…I…what about me, Potter?"

"You died?" He whispered and Snape shook his head, sending his dark hair flying as the older wizard said.

"No, I was mortally wounded, I will give you that but Albus owned me, like I knew he would. Fawkes aided me and I disappeared, not knowing it you still required comfort now that finally everything is changing for the good."

Harry stepped closer, breathlessly with giddy laughter as he said. "Of course I need you, you git. You will always bring me comfort…"

"Good but are you prepared to once more being dragged into something, only this time by free will?" A hand was held out to him.

"It was about time I had a say in something I did. Yes, Severus, I am more than prepared through perhaps a little strength before we set out on our journey might not be amiss."

"Bloody Gryffindor."

But the smile that had been his strength for so long made Harry realize that Snape was as keen to comfort him as he had always been since that faithful night and while everything may change this time for the best, he would never forsake his source of comfort for it had always strengthened him and calmed his heart, in his most dark and most light of hours.

The end

**So it has a happy, albeit open ending. I do hope that you liked it and that it wasn't too dark or too light for your taste. I only used the movie based things except for the last bit. Review of course and tell me what made you laugh, cry or curse at me because I long to know. **


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